Double safety percussion-fuse



A. S. BALDWIN.

DOUBLE SAFETY PERCUSSION FUSE.

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W1 TNESS:

ATToRNEYs,

ARTHUR S. BALDWIN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

DOUBLE SAFETY PERCUSSION-FUSE.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

Application filed November 23, 1916. Serial No. 133,059.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR S. BALDWIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Double Safety Percussion-Fuses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved safety fuse device for shells or pro ectiles and has particular reference to an improved plunger construction that will'be normally held in a safety position to prevent'aocldental explosion, during handling and which will automatically assume anarmed position when subjected to the-shock occasioned by the dischargeof the 'shell'from a gun.

The present invention is directed tothe safety elements of the device and 'to' the certain shifting of those elements from the safety to the armed position when the shell is fired so that the chances offailure to explodeafter firing, will be reduced to a minimum.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein,-'

Figure 1, shows in longitudinal section, a fuse case or stock for the point or nosee'nd of a shell or projectile and shows-the improved devices thereof in the safety position.

Fig. 2, illustrates a cross-sectional detail through the same,the section being taken on the line 22 of Fig.1.

Fig. 3, shows a longitudinal section through the fuse case or stock with the im- 1 proved devlces 1n the armed position, and

Fig. 4, illustrates a longitudinal section through a fusecase or stock embodying the invention and whichis designed for application to the base of a shell or projectile.

Referring to the drawing bynumerals, 5, designates the fuse case or stock, which in the form illustrated in Fig.1. isprovided with a tapered head 'or nose. 6, and is also provided with cirou'mferenti al screw threads 7, by means ofwhich it may be readily attached to the end of a shell or projectile body of any well-known form, and therefore notillustrated in the drawing. This case or stock is providedwith an interior longitudinal chamber 8, that is circular'in cross-section and which is closed, at its inner end by means of a circular cap 9. In

the present instance the Cap has'a reduced eireumierentiat wali. 1.0, and the larger and 'with a cylindrical plunger movement when the osition, because thereof is inserted in the inner end of the case or stockand seats against an annular shoulder 11, provided on thein-terior of the case. 'The inner rim-edgelQ, of the casewall is then contracted about the tapered Wall of the cap and locks the same in place. I The cap 9 isprovided with one. or more passages 13 extending therethr-ough so their inner ends will open into the {chamber of the shell or projectile proper in a wellknown manner. 7 I I The interior of the chamber 8, is provided I body 14, which latter is sufliciently smaller than the chamher in diameterl to afliord a freedom of body is freed. This plunger body has a central cavity 15, extending inwardly from one end thereof, and at opposite sides'of said cavity, the wall of said body has a bayonet slot 16. j

Each bayonet slot is guarded at'the bend, between its longitudinal and lateral portions by a lu-g 17, for a purposepresen-tly to be explained.

A pin, 18, extends crosswise of the fuse case or stock and has its ends retained in perforations 19, at diametrically opposite sides of the case or stock'body, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, of the drawing. This crosspin is rigid with the case or stock'andinor- 1ty 15, of the latter. 1

reference to'Fig. 1 of the drawing it.

y will be seen that the cross-pin is shown seated in a concavity 2O, that is provided in the lateral bend ofthe'bayonet slot and at the side of the lug 17, and thus the plunger body is normally held against rotation in the chamber 8, independently of'the case or stock and is also held against forward movement in said chamber. This, position of the plunger body is thereforethe safety firing cannot take pl aceas ong as the plungeris held against forward movement in the chamber 8.

In order to maintain the plungerbody in the safety position by retaining the crosspin in the concavity 20, I provide a yield: ing device, in the present instance a" coiled spring 21 which presses against the slotted end of the plunger and-holds the latter in locked --eiigagement with the cross-pin. This spring 52.1., has

a plurality of coils and- .45 spin 7 in the safety position.

pin. In so :far :as

plunger body and the forward pressure on the SSOIHBWllLttWlStGdIO exert a torslonalstram one end of-the. spring enters theendvof the plunger body while the other end 28, thereof is held rigidly with respect to the case or stock. In addition to thepressure longitudinally on the plunger body, the spring is wound suiiiciently to exert a torsional strain on the plunger body, for a purpose which will also presently be explained.

In the formation of .thesesafety fuse de vices it is obvious that one part must carry the primer while another :carries a firing the :present invention is concerned this is immaterial, for as illustrated in Fig '3, the primer 24, is shown .as

'GZLITlGd by the movable plunger body and the 'firing pin25, is located on the-case or stock; at-the end of the-chamber 8, wh1le in Fig. 4c, the-firing pin 26, is formed on the primer 27, on :the cap, which -.closes the inner end .of the chamber 8.

In Fig. 3, the primer 24, islecated over the centraleavityl5, in the'body to allow theggases generated-by the: detonation of'the primeiwto pass. through said chamber and :through the passage or passages 18,-:ofthe cap .9, to-the explosive charge in the shell or projectile.

In practice it "is immaterial whether the fuse devicefbeaattached at the point or base ofa the: shell or -projectile, the mperationbeing the o sam-e -1n :elther' ease.

aVVhen the fuse device is assembled and ready for attachment to a shell or projectile,

the plunger b'ody 1'4, is'heldinthe chamber 8, byth'e eross-pinf18, seating against the concave recessr20,1inithe lateral "bend ofthe bayonet slot, which prevents iforward move ment vof the body.

lhebo dy and pin are maintained in posithe spring 21, which presses with the send pin. Inasmuch as "the body cannot move forward when engagedby the as'in Fig. 1, the' body is said'tobe held the spring21, in addition to exerting a body '14, is also onvsaid body, which tends to rotate it, but

"which is held: against'rotat'ion because of the lug '17, on the body engaging the side of'the "cross-'pin 11"8.

The-assembled fuse devi'ee'is screwed into the shell 01- projectile,the threads 7', on

. 'the' case or stock serving %to effect this 1 connection.

"Ilhus it'will be seen that when the fuse -d'eviceis attached to the sh'ell orprojectile '60 ithe plungerbody 14, is in asafety position rand is locked therein by means of the" bayonet slot and pin and alsoby the action of "the spring, so 331m g. or loading the shell into a gun, the fuse 1 that during shipment, ghaneviceis locked in the safety position and will not :release upon receiving accidental jars such as would be caused by dropping the shell during handling.

When'the, shell is discharged from a gun, however,-thecase or stock of the fuse device at once assumes the velocity of the shell, while the plunger body which only has a yielding attachment to the case or stock will --momentarily dag behind so that the cross- "plunger body picks up and equals that of 'the shell "and fuse 'case, will be free to move longitudinally in the chamber 8, so that when the velocity of the shell and fuse easeiorstoc'k is checked, as when striking la-n object, the plunger'body may-continue :its lforWard movement so as to bring the-firing pin and primer together and effect ignitionto produce the "desired explosion.

Having described my invention what I "claim and iLetters Patent '-is':

1; In'a'safety'fuse device the combination witha case having a chamber thereinyo'f' a plunger-body in said chamber; a pin rigid with=the ease and extending diametrically and freely. through the plunger 'body-to noranally hold the latter in a safety position in the chamber'andmeans for effecting a disengagement of the pin and plunger body said means 'being carried by the case and be'com'in'g operative when the "fuse device is projected *in a shell.

2. In a safety fuse-device the combination with a'case having achamber that is circular in a cross-wise direction, of a plunger-body in said chamber, said body "having a bayonet slot "that extends crosswis'e there'ofand opens at 'boths'ides thereof;

' body-in said chamber,-said"bodyLhaVinga diametrically extending slot therein with an off-set at one end thereof; a pin extending diametrically across .the chamber and through said slot. for normally engaging the off-set in said slot initlfe body, anda spring forpressing the wall of the offset portion of the bodyslot againstthe pin.

4911i a safety fuse device for shells or esire'to secure by "UnitedStates rojectiles thecombination with a case havagainst the pin and to apply a torsional mg a longitudinal chamber therein, of a strain on the body for the purpose set forth. 10 plunger body in said chamber and having In testimony whereof I afiix my signature a bayonet slot extending therein from one in the presence of two Witnesses.

end thereof; a pin extending through the ARTHUR S. BALDWIN. bayonet slot of the plunger body and en- Witnesses:

gaged in the ease and a spring at the slotted F. S. S'rmR'rz,

end of the plunger body to press the latter WM. M. TUCKER,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

